2. COUNSELING AND INFORMED CONSENT

^{Updated June 2022 by Monica Agarwal, MD, Sheila Attaie, DO, Anna Sliwowska, MD}

This chapter is inspired/informed by the reproductive justice movement and centers the desires and autonomy of communities that have been historically marginalized to provide guidance for person-centered counseling and care. It will include issues related to identifying and addressing bias, and the use of person-centered counseling to uphold a person’s autonomy when faced with pregnancy decisions. The chapter will also touch upon care of people across the gender spectrum and provide exam, counseling, and procedure techniques that respect and support people who have experienced reproductive coercion and/or sexual trauma.

CHAPTER LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Following completion of this chapter, you should be able to:

• Give pregnancy test results in a neutral, supportive manner.
• Counsel by focusing on outcomes consistent with patients’ needs and preferences.
• Help patients navigate indecision by centering respect, dignity, and bodily autonomy.
• Provide information on the spectrum of abortion care including medication, aspiration, telemedicine, and self-sourced medication abortion.
• Help patients navigate barriers to receiving abortion care (e.g., lack of financial resources, childcare, transportation, social support).
• Use language that is mindful, sensitive and unassuming – which supports patients through the reaffirmation of their choices during counseling and/or procedures.

VIDEOS